Parents and Guardians
by Phantom Rottweiler
Summary: Sequal to "Turbo toddler daycare". Ben has to face the music and reveal the de-aging incident to his parents, while Gwen has a private one on one with JT to help him with his past. Implied abuse. Please R-and-R. Young Ben 10 story #6


DISCLAIMER: Not writing this for profits; simply for fun and the guidance of my writing peers so I may become a better writer.

NOTE: This one is dedicated to PeruAlonso (hope I've spelled that right) And to all the authors that have taken positively to these Young Ben 10 stories. So buddies, this one's for all of you. And if you know anyone that might like these YB10 stories, pass the word around. And yes, four year old Ben saying certain words is never typed right, just covering that topic. And as always, please review on your way out.

Summary: Sequel to "Turbo toddler daycare" Ben and Kevin bring the situation to the light of Ben's parents while Gwen makes an alone visit with JT where she learns that the timid boy has a tainted past.

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

"No" Kevin grunted turning his attention back to his Camaro and the reddish brown rag in his hands. His mind was already made up before his younger counterpart could even make a counter-point on the debate. In his mind, the argument was over and little Ben was already walking away on his own.

"Come on Kebin. I have to tell them, my parwents have to see this" For year old Ben wined gripping the elders arm while stepping between Kevin kneeling down and the mud encrusted car fender that was just within reach. The raven haired teen's coffee eyes stared blankly into the child's neon green eyes.

"You're old enough, you can turn into Jetray and head home by yourself"

"But Kebin…!" Ben huffed tugging on Kevin almost at full fussy-tantrum mode; with their focuses on the other, they had absolutely no idea that Gwen had approached and stood right behind them.

"Kevin would it kill you to drive Ben home?" The moment she spoke, both boys whipped around to find her standing with hands on her hips and a slight frown.

"You've got twenty bucks for gas?" Kevin sneered standing up to meet her eye to eye before reaching into his pocket to retrieve his wallet to open it and expose empty space inside the device "Because I sure don't, because _somebody_ just had to have a new shirt"

Gwen released an aggravated sigh before reaching into her own pocket to hand him a twenty dollar bill and a following bill worth ten dollars "Here's your gas money, and something to get us some smoothies with"

"_Us_!"

"Yeah, I need a ride too"

"What do I look like, your own personal chauffer?"

"Can't you just do something out of kindness?" No sooner had she asked it than Kevin stared blankly at her as though unsure of which smart-assed comment he should whip out.

"Shotgun!" Ben yelped out jumping up and down forcing Kevin to glare at him.

"No Ben…" Gwen shook her head and pointed the rear seat of the car "…anyone at three and a half feet tall has to ride in the back seat. It's a safety issue"

Ben pouted and released a vocal _humph_ while crossing his arms "Kebin driving is a safety issue!" Even though his statement was aimed at being a hint of upset, Gwen laughed hysterically with Kevin rolling his eyes.

"Just for that one…" Kevin grinned "…don't kids under a certain size have to ride in a car seat?"

"Yeah they do, good thinking Kevin" Gwen smiled.

"I think I've got one laying around here somewhere" Kevin chuckled trotting into the open garage and a stack of discarded pieces of everything from years past.

The trio sat in Kevin's car - all three drinking separate flavored smoothies from their favorite hangout. Finished with the smallest drink Mr. Smoothie sold, Ben tossed the empty cup into a small plastic bag and turned his attention to fiddling around with the harness buckles of a little too uncomfortable car seat. His movements were silent but the action caught Kevin's attention causing him to check the windshield mounted mirror.

"Good luck getting out of that one Benji…" he chuckled "…'cause those buckles are child proof"

At first Ben didn't believe him; didn't want to believe him; yet as he grunted and whined after the final failed attempt to undo the passive restraints with his small chubby hands Ben gave in and huffed crossing his arms yet again.

"Kevin, be nice to him" Gwen stared blankly through the windshield "How would you like it if you were in his place?"

"Gwen?" The voice broke everyone's tracks of thoughts; looking to the right, she found JT leaning down slightly to be at eye level with her.

"JT? What do you want?"

"I-I…um…can I…is there a way we can go somewhere and talk? Just the two of us?"

"What for?" Kevin frowned gripping the wheel. _There is no way in hell she is ever going to go for you, shrimp, so back off before I make you back off._

"I hear your good with helping people with their problems, and…I don't know who else to talk to about this; so…um, yeah, if-uh"

"Come on, let's take a walk" Gwen smiled as Kevin silently groaned; before she left, Gwen stopped, turned back and leaned in through the open window "Kevin. Take Ben home while I take care of _him_"

"Yes mother!" the reforming ex-con grunted starting the car.

The car silenced. Kevin reached between the two front seats and undid the few latches for the car seat that kept Ben secure during transport. Glad to be out of the device, Ben slipped into the front seat before exiting his side of the car.

Sandra opened the door and smiled slightly at the sight of Kevin standing on the front porch. For a brief moment, she wasn't sure what he was there for because the last she knew, Ben was with him and they were off fighting aliens.

"Your Ben's ruffian friend, right?"

"Yup"

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually, I need to talk to you and Mr. Tennyson about Ben" at this point, Ben's father Carl came around from his small side office to see whom was at the door.

"He's not in trouble is he?" Sandra asked bringing her hands to her face as Kevin nodded in agreement.

"Is he sick? Hurt? In danger? Is it that mean white alien thing again?" her questions raced as her heart rate picked up. To her agitated relief, Kevin simply shook his head 'no'.

"It's more of a situation really" Kevin stepped off to the side allowing her full focus down to four-year-old Ben previously standing behind him.

Carl's eyes grew as massive as dinner plates as his jaw nearly hit the floor; Sandra's eyes grew massive before rolling towards the back of her head seconds before she herself hit the floor - her unconscious hand flapping from the impact.

"Now do you see why I didn't want to do this in the first place?" Kevin glared down to Ben staring at and digging the tip of his shoe into the wood planks.

_X_

Gwen watched as JT shifted his weight on the small bench in the middle of the park. His movements; his actions; his overall look reminded her of the way he appeared just yesterday when she was caretaker of the turbo-toddler force.

"I had a really bad dream last night…" the boy with glasses looked down then away as though unsure of how to go about it "I know it's going to sound weird, but hear me out. In this dream, you were as you are now; but Ben, Kevin, Cash and myself were…four year olds because of some kind of mutant ferret looking thing"

Gwen's eyes grew wide as she realized not every single fragment of reality had been erased as Verdona proclaimed.

"Then some old woman named Verona? Or something like that appears out of nowhere and disappears with Ben; while they're gone, Cash and Kevin go at it which meant you had to play referee. And when you did that, you became mad, so much so that I didn't see _you_, I saw…her…" JT trailed off biting his lower lip knowing that now more than ever, his little secret was about to be exposed in the most painful way.

_X_

"I-I think she's coming around" Carl's voice echoed in Sandra's ears as she slowly opened her eyes; at her sides as she laid on the couch, Kevin and Carl leaned in close; across from her, Ben watched with saddened eyes.

"What. Happened. To. You. Ben!" she asked slowly making sure she was correctly seeing four year old Ben's form.

"We were stopping a ramping Terratanout in the north district of town, you know, the last few structures on the outskirts of town, well, anyways, this thing lets out a supersonic wail and transformed him into a four year old child"

Everyone glared to Kevin; all were taken by surprise of how he managed to say the most ridiculous statements and pass it of as the truth.

"Come on boys…" Carl crossed his arms "…even for alien battling teens, that does sound a little too far fetched"

"But it's the trwuth" young Ben countered.

"But an alien that de-ages people? Come on, how gullible do you think we are?" Sandra sat up noticing a glitter in Bens soft shaking eyes.

"We know it happened 'cause we were therwe" the boy's voice shook.

"If we knew this was going to happen, then we would have had second thoughts about your - extracurricular activities" Carl sighed bringing his hand to the bride of his nose.

"But…but-but" Ben stammered; this was the limit of how much he could take. In one swift motion Ben turned and ran off with thumping steps and deep sobbing; after a few short seconds, the sobbing faded only to be replaced by a slam of his door.

_X_

Silence hung thick in the early afternoon air as Gwen watched JT bite his lip. She knew there was something he needed to say, but he appeared hesitant on disclosing any of the details.

"I have an older sister; when I was younger, every time my parents went for a night out, they left her in charge; it was okay, but…"

"But?"

"But she had a short temper. She would fly off the handle at the slightest thing I didn't do right. One night, I forgot to clean off my plate after dinner when she was the 'sitter' and that sent her way off the deep end. I don't really remember much after that, just curled up in the corner nursing a broken arm…feeling the pulsating bruises; not even daring to look up even though I knew my parents were kneeling down in front of me"

"JT…I'm so…"

"No. It wasn't your fault so don't try to apologize for it"

"If you saw me in your dream and I reminded you of 'her' then I will still say sorry, even if you don't want to hear it"

"That's why I'm always hanging around Cash. Yes he's a complete ass jerk to everyone, but that's also his strong point. Because when I'm at his side, I feel that no-one can ever do what she did"

_X_

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson. You open this door right now!" Carl called out rapping a fisted hand against the wood door. The order and action was promptly followed by Ben's muffled scream of "No!"

"Ben? Sweetie? Unlock the door and we can talk this out"

"NO!"

As Ben argued with his parents, Kevin - standing off to the side - reached into his pocket and found two single paperclips; staring at the tiny metal shapes, it dawned on him why he kept them in his pocket. It wasn't for a metal supply to cover himself with, it was for situations like this when a little finesse, know-how and agility won over sheer brute force.

"What are you doing?" Carl asked as Kevin knelt down and slid the unbent paperclips into the lock cylinder.

"Quiet" the ex-con whispered getting a _feel_ for the lock.

"You really are a ruffian, aren't you?" Sandra glared at his abilities.

"Please be silent for a few moments, I need concentration to do this and I can't do it if you two are yammering away"

"But lock picking?" With this Kevin stood leaving the clips in the lock and turned to Ben's parents.

"It's either pick the lock and get in quickly with no damage, or pull a shock-and-awe on the door, you know…I really want to have a good kick to a door right now, but you two strike me as the type that would go nuclear if I did…so it looks like lock picking is the best choice. Now be quiet so I can work!"

Carl and Sandra stepped back allowing Kevin to work his magic. Five seconds. Kevin stood again and turned the knob opening the door. "Five seconds flat, that's a new personal best" he chuckled.

All three entered to find Ben curled up on his bed with Furry Freddy clutched tightly in his grip, defined flows of tears soaking his face and pillow and a distant reality look in his eyes. "I thought we had a trwuth no matterw how silly rwelationship"

"We do, Ben, and…it just takes us a little time to understand and process this stuff. Look, we know you fight aliens; not all are going to be cute and fluffy like puppies and kittens, so that's why your father and myself are always concerned about your well-being, because stuff like this is bound to happen"

"Your mothers right, son. So if you tell us this is because of some alien, we'll believe you, no matter how ludicrous it sounds" Hearing what Carl had to say, Ben sat up still gripping the stuffed toy and sniffled.

"And we don't have any problems with your ruffian friend here taking care of you when we can't, just as long as we know what's going on."

_X_

"I know I shouldn't bother you with my problems like this, but you don't know how good it feels…"

"To get something off your chest?" Gwen asked the ending to JT's statement. "JT, that's what I do, I help people. And right now, that means listening to what was bothering you"

JT stood and held out his hand "I owe you one, Gwen…"

"Think nothing of it, if you ever…ever…ever need anyone to talk with, don't be afraid to find me" she responded taking his hand within her own.

Squealing tires; Gwen and JT turned to find Kevin's car skidding to an abrupt halt. "Gwen; trouble; downtown" Kevin shouted. Sharing one final glare with JT, Gwen trotted over and climbed into Kevin's car before taking a quick glance to Ben in the rear car seat.

"So how'd it go?" she asked buckling up.

"Oh, you know, Ben's mom fainted; they argued; then they kissed and made up…I didn't even get to kick the door down" Kevin frowned peeling away.


End file.
